


another one bites the dust

by starksnack



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers Family, Domestic Avengers, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Found Family, Getting Together, M/M, Misunderstandings, Prank Wars, Team as Family, for like five seconds - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:06:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29160882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starksnack/pseuds/starksnack
Summary: Steve is the last person Tony and Clint need to prank to have gotten everyone in the tower. Now Steve needs to find the perfect way to get them back.(Of course, no revenge is the best revenge of all)
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 41
Collections: POTS (18+) Stony Stocking 2020





	another one bites the dust

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elwenyere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elwenyere/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [elwenyere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elwenyere/pseuds/elwenyere) in the [stony_stocking_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/stony_stocking_2020) collection. 



> for the lovely elwenyere #7972 who wanted Steve and Tony (and others?) get involved in an escalating prank war, and one of them deliberately loses as part of a declaration of feelings,,, but of course, this got a little bit away from me. happy valentine's day lovely!! <3

Steve was wondering when it would be his turn.

As he pushed open the door to his studio one sunny Friday afternoon, he was doused in a shower of red, white, and blue, the cold liquid sluicing down his body and covering him in an acidic smell. The bucket placed precariously above the door clattered to the ground and he stood in the doorway, wiping paint out of his mouth to the sound of a valiant camera shutter.

Clint and Tony high-fived each other.

“Birdbrain, did you get the picture?”

Clint held up a polaroid triumphantly, showing the developing photo to Tony and then Steve, who squinted at it through the paint dripping from his eyelashes. They had captured the exact moment Steve was getting paint dumped on him pretty well, his shoulders hunched up by his ears, and his face a picture of exasperated disappointment as he looked at the camera.

Tony handed him a towel and Steve accepted it gratefully, not even minding the unapologetic look stretched across Tony’s face as he asked Clint if he could see the polaroid again. Steve rolled his eyes at their antics as he wiped his face, grimacing at the acrylic taste in his mouth as he wiped his lips.

Years ago, he probably would have chewed both of them out for causing a mess and pranking him, but years of working with Tony had mellowed him out. The team felt more like a family, worn around the edges, and if dumping paint on Steve made Clint smile, he’d let it happen every single day.

Crowing happily, Clint victory-danced out of the room, probably going to show the rest of the team Steve’s picture so they could all have a good laugh at his expense. Sometimes, he wondered if he lived with children rather than middle-aged adults.

“Thanks,” he mumbled, indicating the towel. “Even though you’re the reason I’m a mess.”

“You were the last one on the list, oh captain, my captain,” Tony smirked at him, taking the towel back. “You’re probably going to need a shower or two. But when you get out,” Tony pointed to a bag balanced on the stool near the easel Steve was working on— he blushed when he realized the painting was of Tony and Dum-E— “I left you an apology present over there. Thanks for playing with us.”

Steve huffed out a laugh. “You two are ridiculous. I’ll see you at dinner.”

Tony only waved him off, whistling as he headed out the door, easily sidestepping the huge puddle of paint that would be a bitch to clean up.

Hours later, when he had finally showered off all the remaining paint, Steve sat in his studio, fingers running over the leather of the bag Tony had left behind. The room smelled like lemon Pledge, the mess of paint on the floor gone by the time Steve had gotten there.

The letters ‘SGR’ were embroidered in a deep blue in the corner of his bag and Steve traced the letters, surprised. When he opened the bag, his jaw dropped, awed at the beautiful sketchbook Tony had included, and the incredible paints Steve had been eyeing last week. It was such a thoughtful gift, and affection swelled in Steve’s chest just thinking about the care that had gone into it. Steve really needed to thank Tony.

But first, he needed to prank him.

Which turned out to be easier said than done. Obviously, there were lines that couldn’t be crossed;, like anything water-related, which was completely off the table, because the last thing Steve wanted to do was give the guy he was sweet on a panic attack.

Steve considered a whoopie cushion in the lab; it was juvenile, but it would make Tony laugh, and Steve could picture it now. He’d be sketching on the couch, Tony looking amazing as he waited for his coffee to brew, brown eyes absorbed in his tablet. He’d sit at the workbench and suddenly be startled by the loud farting noise.

Then he would turn his attention to Steve, and he was the worst at pretending so he’d be smiling, and Tony would make some joke about getting Steve back and then they would kiss--

Well, not really, because obviously Tony didn’t return Steve’s feelings, but it was a nice thought.

While scrolling through the internet, he found the perfect prank: he wouldn’t retaliate at all. If he let Tony and Clint think he was going to get them back and never did, then they would go out of their minds anticipating whatever he was going to do, which was nothing.   
  
Steve grinned happily, setting his Stark tablet on his desk

When he got to the communal floor, the rest of the Avengers were gathered around the fridge. Clint had a smug look on his face, Tony was smirking, and when Steve peered over the heads of his teammates, he found his own affronted face staring back at him. There were four polaroids on the fridge, all of them of an Avenger Clint and Tony had managed to prank and Steve’s was the holy grail of them all.

“Prank me again and you won’t like where my knife goes,” Natasha mumbled, though by the small smile tugging at the corner of her lips, he knew that she was happy for the found family between the six of them. All of them were.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Bruce looked at the photo of himself with large black circles around his eyes from looking through a microscope that Clint and Tony had brushed paint on. Despite getting pranked, he looked secretly pleased, and Steve knew it was because he was happy Clint and Tony weren’t afraid of the Hulk. 

Then again, Tony had always told Bruce to own the Other Guy. He had a talent for making everyone feel at home and Steve was eternally grateful for it. He himself had felt out of place in this brave new world, and it was only Tony taking him by the hand and leading him through it that allowed him to grow and settle in the future.

“Dinner?” Steve asked, looking between the rest of his teammates.

Thor clapped Steve on the back. “I have made the most mysterious of meats.” Thor winked at him as he grabbed the pot that was simmering on the stove. As he peeled back the lid, a plume of steam came out with the most heavenly smell and Steve felt his mouth watering.

That was enough to send the team running for their seats at the large dining table, Steve at the head and Tony settling into the seat at his right, shooting him a large grin that he didn’t quite understand.

That is, until his bottom hit the seat and the loudest, wettest fart came out, startling him up and out of his seat. His knees hit the table, cheeks red. Thankfully he wasn’t alone; Clint and Tony snickered as Natasha, Thor, and Bruce were also met with the loud sounds of whoopie cushions.

Thankfully Thor had had the common sense to set the food down before getting situated, so they didn’t have to deal with a case of their dinner flying and getting all over them. 

“Jarvis, did you get that?” Tony asked, eyes bright as he looked up at the ceiling. Steve couldn’t help but smile despite the ache in his knees, fishing the pink bag out from under his seat and setting it on the table.

“We need to get that hung up,” Clint suggested. He pointedi to where the couch and television were. “I’m thinking in that huge space above the couch, it’ll really tie the room together.”

Tony nodded thoughtfully, but in seconds, a shit-eating grin was spread across his face and even though it wasn’t directed at him, Tony’s coffee gaze caught his, stealing the breath out of him. He was so incredibly beautiful, and Steve would sit on a thousand whoopie cushions just to see him smile.

After dinner, Steve joined Tony down in the lab for some sketching to wind down before bed. It was a routine he cherished, and as he sketched the line of Tony’s shoulders, warmth spread through his chest.

Dum-E beeped beside him and Steve grinned at the bot, showing him the picture. More excited trilling followed before Tony was calling Dum-E over for a tool that the bot was sure to not find, but had fun looking for anyway.

“What’cha working on?” Tony asked, dropping down onto the couch beside Steve. He was close enough that their bodies pressed together from shoulder to hip but Steve didn’t think too much about it, knowing that Tony was a tactile person.

“Just a sketch of Dum-E,” Steve lied, tipping his book away from Tony. That led to a game of keep-away that had Tony stretching across his lap and cursing every god in existence for not lending him some extra inches. Steve only laughed delighted with Tony’s affronted expression.

When Tony finally slumped against him, Steve’s breath hitched, catching a whiff of his cologne and going still. He never wanted Tony to move, but now Tony was looking up at him, brown eyes wide and Steve had to say something before he made the moment awkward.

“Thanks for the art supplies,” Steve sputtered out, clearing his throat before grinning at Tony. He closed his sketchbook, setting it on the couch before dropping his hand to where it casually fell against Tony’s hip. “It was a really thoughtful apology gift.”

Tony shrugged, casually waving off the generosity in a way that always baffled Steve. “It was the least I could do after dumping a bucket of paint on your head. I look forward to seeing your reciprocation.”

“A sucker for punishment are we?”

Tony’s mouth dropped open and Steve instantly went red in the face as the implication of what he’d just said hit him right in the honey nut feelios. He might as well tape his mouth shut, he was never opening it again, but then Tony surged forward, pressing his lips against Steve’s in a hard kiss.

As first kisses went, it wasn’t perfect. Their noses bumped together and Tony tasted faintly like motor oil, definitely thanks to Dum-E. But Steve sighed into it, his hand sliding around Tony to hold him close.

The kiss was only a couple of seconds long, but when Tony pulled away, Steve was panting, looking deep into his warm brown eyes. He wanted to gather Tony up into his arms and kiss him senseless.

That’s when Steve remembered the prank war and he felt like a complete idiot. “That wasn’t a good prank.”

Tony reared back like he’d been struck, eyes wide and confused before it suddenly dawned on him. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again, brows furrowing. Steve waited for him to say something, but when he didn’t, his heart dropped to his toes.

So it was a joke and Tony didn’t really want him. He only wanted to play with his feelings and leave him out to dry. Steve was always the laughingstock.

“I need to go,” Steve stood, turning his back on Tony. He bit his lip, not wanting to give Tony the satisfaction of seeing him fall apart, because if there was anything Steve wanted to keep intact, it was his pride.

Just as he got to the elevator, jamming the button for the penthouse, Steve felt Tony’s fingers around his wrist and he let himself be spun around. Tony’s eyes were wild and manic as he grabbed the sides of Steve’s face, pulling him down for a second frantic kiss. His beard burned against Steve’s jaw, but he kind of liked the feeling.

When Tony pulled away this time, he looked up at Steve hopefully. “This is not a prank.”

Steve exhaled heavily, looking into Tony’s eyes and trusting him wholeheartedly. “Prove it.”

And Tony did.


End file.
